Supporting and weighing device



April 13, 1965 H. w. LINK SUPPORTING'IND WEIGHING DEVICE Filed April 1.1963 x INVENTOR. A4272? BY [7 T bwlg United States Patent 3,177,958SUPPORTING AND WEIGHING DEVICE Herbert W. Link, 8330 Sorrento, Detroit,Mich. Filed Apr. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 269,405 7 Claims. (Cl. 177-408) Thisinvention relates to a supporting and weighing device and moreparticularly to a device of this type which is self-contained.

The present invention relates more especially to an improvement in thedevice shown in the patent to Weber Number 2,956,761 dated October 18,1960.

Devices of this type comprise a platform upon which the load issupported and fluid pressure means for sup porting the platform, thefluid pressure being controlled by a pilot valve actuated by changes inthe load, to maintain the platform at a constant level. In devices ofthis type the platform moves vertically with respect to its supportingstructure, in response to vibrations and changes in the load, and is aptto become canted or askew and thus bind on its support.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a deviceof this type having means for guiding the platform in its verticalmovement so that the platform will always move perpendicularly to itssupporting structure and all tendency to tilt or cant is eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this type inwhich the platform guiding means comprises a bearing member preferablyof the ball bearing type which will support the platform for free andeasy movement, without binding on its supporting structure.

In accomplishing the foregoing objects and advantages the movableplatform is provided with a rigid guide shaft extending perpendicularlytherefrom and the base or supporting structure is provided with abearing member comprising spaced sets of ball bearings adapted to engagethe guide shaft at longitudinally spaced areas thereof to firmly supportthe platform against tilting while permitting frictionless verticalmovement thereof.

The various objects and advantages, and the novel details ofconstruction of one commercially practical embodiment of the inventionwill become more apparent as this description proceeds, espeically whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the device;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view takensubstantially on the plane indicated by line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a detail elevational view of the bearing member; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially on theplane indicated by line 4-4 in FIG- URE 3.

The device of this invention consists essentially of a base plate 10, aload supporting platform 11, a reservoir 12, a center support 13 for theload supporting platform, and a pilot valve 14.

a The load supporting platform 11 is provided with a top plate 15, hereshown as circular in cross section, havin an annular flange 16 dependingtherefrom and sealed thereto as at 17 to define the outer side of an airchamber 18. The lower edge of the annular flange 16 extends into agroove 19 in the base plate 10.

The inner wall of the chamber 18 is formed by the resrevoir 12 whichconsists of a top plate 20 and a depending annular wall 21, the loweredge of which engages a groove 22 in the base plate 10. The inner wallof the reservoir 12 is formed by a sleeve member 23 secured to the topplate 20 by means of an annular securing ring 24, which is sealed to thetop plate 20 as at 25. Fastening screws secure the ring 24 to the end ofsleeve member 23. Arranged within the sleeve 23 is a bearing sleeve 26for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter described.

The space 18 between the load supporting platform member 11 and thereservoir member 12 constitutes an air chamber, adapted to contain airunder pressure, to support the load supporting platform in the samemanner as described in the aforesaid patent. Communication between thereservoir 12 and the chamber 18 is established by means of a restrictedopening 27 formed in a screw 28 which passes through the top plate 20.With this construction, the size of the restricted aperture may bevaried by inserting screws having different size openings 27therethrough.

Arranged centrally of the top plate 15 of the load supporting platformis a guide shaft 35 provided with a reduced portion 31 which passesthrough the top plate 15. The reduced portion 31 provides a shoulder 32which abuts the underside of the top plate 15 and the guide shaft 38 isrigidly secured to the load supporting platform by means of a headedmember 33 having a threaded portion 34 engaging a threaded recess in theupper end of the reduced portion 31. Thus, the guide shaft is rigidlysupported on the plate 15 of the load supporting platform 11 and dependsperpendicularly therefrom. The headed member 33 will constitute a loadsupport button which engages the load resting upon the load supportingplatform.

The space between the guide shaft 30 and the bearing sleeve 26 isadapted to contain a bearing member in the form of a cage 35 havingupper and lower bearing supporting portions 36 adapted to receive ballbearings 37. These ball bearings are positioned in the transverselyextending recesses 38in the cage, and to retain the ball bearings 37 inposition these transverse openings 38 may be peened over slightly attheir ends, as indicated at 39 in FIGURE 2. The bearing supportingportions 36 are spaced apart by struts 35a, forming part of the cage 35,so that the spaced sets of ball bearings 37 engage the guide shaft atlongitudinally spaced areas thereof so as to firmly support the guideshaft and consequently the load supporting platform against tiltingmovement.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the ball bearings are arranged in two rowsat the top and at the bottom of the cage 35 and the ball bearings of onerow at each end of the cage are staggered with respect to the ballbearings of the adjacent row. The ball bearings extend entirely aroundthe guide shaft 36.

It will be noted that the ball bearings 37 extend between and engage theguide shaft 30 on one hand and the bearing sleeve 26 on the other hand.Also, the sets of ball bearings engaging the guide shaft and bearingsleeve engage longitudinally spaced areas of the guide shaft to firmlysupport the same and hence the load supporting platform, against tiltingor canting while permitting frictionless vertical movement of the guideshaft.

The cage 35 is supported at its lower end by resting on a supportbracket 40 secured as for instance by means of a screw 41 to the lowerend of the guide shaft 30 for movement therewith.

The annular flange 16 of the load supporting platform is provided with aplurality of laterally extending lugs 42, each provided with an aperture43 adapted to engage a guide member 4 threaded into the base plate 14}.

The space between the annular wall 21 of the reservoir 12 and theannular flange 16 of the load supporting platform member is sealed atthe lower ends of these memhers by means of a hollow tubular sealingring 5i? formed of suitable plastic or other elastomeric material. Thenormal diameter of the sealing ring 5% is greater than the distancebetween the annular wall 21 and the annular fiange 16, so that theannular ring is substantially fiattened when inserted. As the loadsupporting platform member moves up and down, the sealing ring 51 rollsalong the opposed surfaces of the members 16 and 21 to effectively sealthe space between these two members. The flange 16 may be provided withan annular shoulder 51 and the wall 21 may be provided with an annularshoulder 52 which will act to limit any excessive upward movement of thesealing ring.

If desired, a level indicator 55 may be provided on the top surface ofthe load supporting platform member.

The pilot valve shown at the right-hand side of FIG- URE 2 issubstantially the same as that shown and described in the aforesaidpatent and consists of a housing 6t) provided with a valve stem 61provided with a valve part 62 adapted to normally close a port 63interposed in the air inlet 64. The valve also comprises a plunger 65provided with an exhaust passage 66 which is controlled by the end 67 ofthe valve stem 61. The plunger '65 is connected to a diaphragm 68 whichextends across the valve housing 619 to define a chamber d9. Thischamber is connected by ports 70 and 71 to the reservoir 12. A spring 72normally holds the valve in the position illustratedin FIGURE 2.

The load supporting platform member is provided with a lateral extension75 carrying an adjustable stud 76 which engages the end of the plunger65 to actuate the latter.

As described in the aforesaid patent, when the load on the loadsupporting platform increases, the plunger 65 will be depressed todepress the valve stem 61 and valve part 62 and open the port 63 topermit an additional supply of air under pressure to enter through theinlet 64 and flow into the chamber 69 and through ports 70 and 71 intothe reservoir to counteract the increase in the load. When, however, theload is lightened and the load supporting platform rises above itsnormal level, the air in the chamber 69 will raise the plunger 65 andopen the exhaust port 66 to permit air to escape from the reservoir sothat the load supporting platform will return to its normal position.

The pressure of air in the system may be measured by a gauge device 80connected by a conduit 81 to the passageway 70. The dial is preferablycalibrated to indicate in pounds the load placed upon the loadsupporting platform.

No claim is made herein to the pilot valve 14 or the measuring device80, as they form no part of this invention.

It will be understood that in devices of this type having a verticallymoving load supporting platform, the load may not always be placedsquarely upon the center of the platform so that during its verticalmovement, the platform is liable to become canted or askew and thus bindon its supports. With the present invention, in which the guiding meansfor the platform comprises spaced ball bearing members, the platform issupported against any tendency to tilt or cant and a frictionlessvertical movement thereof is provided for. By staggering the sets ofball bearings and spacing the sets longitudinally of the guide shaft,adequate lateral support is provided to accomplish the purposes of thisinvention. While ball bearings have been found particularly suitable forthe purpose, it will be understood that other types of bearing members,such as rollers, may be employed and still remain within the scope ofthis invention.

While one commercially practical embodiment of the invention has beendescribed and illustrated herein somewhat in detail, it will heunderstood that various changes may be made as may come within thepurview of the accompanying claims.

I i What is claimed is: 1. In a device of the class described, a baseplate, a

reservoir secured to said base plate, a bearing sleeve extending throughsaid reservoir, a vertically movable load supporting platform having aportion in spaced telescoped relation with said reservoir and forming achamber therebetween, a guide shaft rigidly connected to said platformand extending perpendicularly therefrom, into said bearing sleeve inspaced relation thereto, and bearing means between said guide shaft andbearing sleeve providing lateral support for said guide shaft whilepermitting frictionless longitudinal movement thereof.

2. A device as described in claim 1 in which said bearings are ballbearings.

3. In a device of the class described, a base plate, a reservoir securedto said base plate, a bearing sleeve extending through said reservoir, avertically movable load supporting platform having a portion in spacedtelescoped relation with said reservoir and forming a chambertherebetween, a guide shaft rigidly connected to said platform andextending perpendicularly therefrom, into said bearing sleeve in spacedrelation thereto, and a bearing cage in the space between said guideshaft and bearing sleeve having sets of bearings therein providinglateral and longitudinal support for said guide shaft.

4. In a device of the class described, a base plate, a reservoir securedto said base plate, a bearing sleeve extending through said reservoir, avertically movable load supportingplatform having a portion in spacedtelescoped relation with said reservoir and forming a chamber therebetween, a guide shaft rigidly connected to said platform and extendingperpendicularly therefrom, into said hearing sleeve in spaced relationthereto, a bearing cage in the space between said guide shaft andbearing sleeve having sets of bearings therein providing lowfriction-support for said guide shaft, and stop means for said bearingcage secured to said guide shaft.

5. In a device of the class described, a base member, a reservoirsecured to said base member, a bearing sleeve extending through saidreservoir, a vertically movable load supporting platform having anannular flange telescoped over said reservoir in spaced relation theretoto form a chamber between said platform and reservoir, a downwardlyextending guide shaft rigidly connected to said platform, and projectinginto said bearing sleeve in spaced relation thereto, a cylindricalbearing cage in the space between said guide shaft and bearing sleevehaving sets of bearing elements located adiacent the ends thereofproviding bearings for said guide shaft at longitudinally spaced areasthereof, and stop means for said cage secured to the free end of saidguide shaft. 7

6. A device as described in claim 5 in which said hearing cage comprisesmeans for carrying two spaced sets of ball bearings adapted to extendcircumferentially around said guide shaft and engaging said guide shaftand bearing sleeve at longitudinally spaced areas thereof, each set ofball bearings comprising at least two rows of ball bearings with theball bearings of one row being circumferentially staggered with respectto the ball bearings of the other row.

7. In a supporting and weighing device comprising, a base plate, areservoir secured to said base plate, a hearing sleeve extending throughsaid reservoir a vertically movable load supporting platform having aflanged portion arranged in spaced telescopic relation with saidreservoir and forming a chamber therebetween, that improvement whichcomprises, a downwardly extending guide shaft rigidly connected to saidplatform and projecting into said bearing sleeve in spaced relationthereto, bearing cage means in the space between said guide shaft andbearing sleeve, spaced sets of bearings in said cage means engaging saidguide shaft at longitudinally spaced areas thereof providing lateral andlongitudinal support for said guide shaft, and stop means for saidbearing cage means 2,956,761 10/60 Weber 177208 X secured to said guideshaft for movement therewith. 3,003,830 10/61 Blazek et a1. 308-63,115,944 12/63 Weber 177209 References Cited by the Examiner UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 5 ROBERT L. EVANS, Primary Examiner.

,7 7 3/31 Frisch 177-203 LEO SMILOW, Examiner.

2,392,702 1/ 46 Saunders 177-208

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, A BASE PLATE, A RESERVOIR SECUREDTO SAID BASE PLATE, A BEARING SLEEVE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID RESERVOIR, AVERTICALLY MOVABLE LOAD SUPPORTING PLATFORM HAVING A PORTION IN SPACEDTELESCOPED RELATION WITH SAID RESERVOIR AND FORMING A CHAMBERTHEREBETWEEN, A GUIDE SHAFT RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID PLATFORM ANDEXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY THEREFROM, INTO SAID BEARING SLEEVE IN SPACEDRELATION THERETO, AND BEARING MEANS